The honor of being Warner Bros. first three-strip Technicolor release actually goes to Gold Is Where You Find It (1938) , which went into production and was released several months earlier than The Adventures of Robin Hood. Alan Hale, Sr., who plays Little John, had played the same character in the 1922 version of the film and went on to play him again in Rogues of Sherwood Forest, released by Columbia in 1950.[3]

Now known as the outlaw Robin Hood, he binds his men by an oath, to fight for a free England until King Richard returns. They are to rob the rich only to give to the poor, and to treat all women with courtesy, "rich or poor, Norman or Saxon." In a short time, Prince John's cronies find themselves harassed and robbed.

One day, Robin and his men capture a large party of Normans transporting tax proceeds through Sherwood. Among Robin's "guests" are Gisbourne, the cowardly Sheriff of Nottingham (Melville Cooper), and Lady Marian. Marian is at first disdainful of Robin, but becomes convinced of his good intentions and begins to see the reality of the Norman brutality. Eventually Robin allows the humiliated Gisbourne and sheriff to depart Sherwood on foot, dressed in rags, telling them that they have Marian's presence to thank for his sparing their lives.

Incensed, Prince John furiously accuses the Sheriff and Sir Guy of incompetence. The Sheriff comes up with a cunning scheme to capture Robin by announcing an archery tournament. The Sheriff is sure that Robin will be unable to resist the challenge. All goes as planned: Robin wins, is taken prisoner, and is sentenced to be hanged.

Marian helps the Merry Men to rescue Robin. Later, the outlaw sneaks into the castle to thank her. She and Robin pledge their love for each other, but Marian declines to come away with him because she believes she can help the rebellion better where she is.

King Richard and a few of his knights return to England disguised as pilgrims. At an inn, the Bishop of the Black Canons (Montague Love) overhears one of Richard's men call him "sire" and hurries to alert Prince John. John and Gisbourne plot to dispose of Richard before he can raise an army. Dickon Malbete (Harry Cording), a degraded former knight, is given the task in return for the restoration of his rank and Robin's manor and estate.

Marian overhears them and writes a note warning Robin, but Gisbourne finds it and has her arrested. Marian's nurse, Bess (Una O'Connor), has been romantically involved with Much. She sends him to warn Robin. On his way, Much encounters and kills Dickon after a desperate struggle.

Seeking Robin’s help, King Richard and his escort disguise themselves as wealthy monks and journey to Sherwood Forest. They are quickly accosted by Robin. When Richard assures him that he is traveling on the King's business, Robin happily invites him to dine. Will finds the injured Much. Much tells Robin of Marian's peril and that Richard is in England. Robin orders a search. Certain now of Robin's loyalty, Richard reveals his identity.

Robin devises a plan to sneak his men into the castle. He forces the Bishop of the Black Canons to include his men (disguised as monks) in his entourage. The plan succeeds. During the coronation, a melee breaks out. Robin and Gisbourne engage in a prolonged sword fight, ending with Gisbourne's death. Robin then rescues Marian from her cell.

John begs for forgiveness, but Richard exiles him and his followers for the remainder of his lifetime (At least, until John becomes king.). He then pardons the outlaws, ennobles Robin as Baron of Locksley and Earl of Sherwood and Nottingham, and 'orders' Robin to marry the Lady Marian.

The Adventures of Robin Hood was filmed on location in various areas of California.

Bidwell Park in Chico stood in for Sherwood Forest,[4] although one major scene was filmed at the California locations "Lake Sherwood" and "Sherwood Forest", so named because they were the location sites for the 1922 Douglas Fairbanks production of Robin Hood. Several scenes were shot at the Warner Bros. Burbank Studios and the Warner Ranch in Calabasas. The archery tournament was filmed at Lower Arroyo Park [5] in Pasadena.

James Cagney was originally cast as Robin Hood, but walked out on his contract with Warner Bros., paving the way for Flynn,[6] although filming was postponed three years.[7]

It was produced at an estimated cost of $2 million, and was Warner Bros first color film utilizing three-strip Technicolor process.[Note 2][6] It was an unusually extravagant production for the Warner Bros. studio, which had made a name for itself in producing socially conscious low-budget gangster films,[8] but their adventure movies starring Flynn had generated hefty revenue and Robin Hood was created to capitalize on this.[citation needed]

Stunt men and bit players, padded with balsa wood on metal plates, were paid $150 per arrow for being shot by professional archer Howard Hill. Hill, although listed as the archer captain defeated by Robin, was cast as Elwen the Welshman, an archer seen shooting at Robin in his escape from Nottingham castle and, later, defeated by Robin at the archery tournament. To win, Robin splits the arrow of Philip of Arras, a captain of the guard under Gisbourne, who had struck the bullseye. An examination of the film images in slow motion led to speculation[who?] that the arrow split may have been made of bamboo and had been previously split, the parts being held together with small rings. Buster Wiles – a stuntman and close friend of Errol Flynn – maintains that the arrow splitting stunt was carried out using an extra large arrow (for the target) and that the second arrow had a wide, flat arrowhead and was fired along a wire. Wiles discusses the scene in his autobiography, My Days With Errol Flynn.

Review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 100% of critics gave the film a positive review based on 44 reviews, with an average score of 8.9/10. The film is currently No. 12 on Rotten Tomatoes' list of best rated films.[10] Rotten Tomatoes summarizes the critical consensus as, "Errol Flynn thrills as the legendary title character, and the film embodies the type of imaginative family adventure tailor-made for the silver screen."[11]

Due to the movie's popularity, Errol Flynn's name and image became inextricably linked with that of Robin Hood in the public eye, even more so than Douglas Fairbanks, who had played the role previously in 1922.[12]

Scenes and costumes worn by the characters have been imitated and spoofed endlessly. For instance, in the Bugs Bunny animated short film, Rabbit Hood, Bugs is continually told by a dim-witted Little John that "Robin Hood will soon be here." When Bugs finally meets Robin at the end of the film, he is stunned to find that it is Errol Flynn, in a spliced-in clip from this film (he subsequently shakes his head and declares, "It couldn't be him!"). Other parodies were Daffy Duck and Porky Pig in Robin Hood Daffy and Goofy and Black Pete in Goof Troop's Goofin' Hood & His Melancholy Men.